The [[House of Hador]] was the name of the third House of the [[Edain]] to cross the [[Ered Luin]] into [[Beleriand]] during the [[First Age]]. They were originally known as the [[House of Marach]] but were renamed during the reign of their later ruler [[Hador Lórindol|Hador]] in honour of him.

+

The [[House of Hador]] was the name of the third House of the [[Edain]] to cross the [[Ered Luin]] into [[Beleriand]] during the [[First Age]]. They were originally known as the [[House of Hador|House of Marach]] but were renamed during the reign of their later ruler [[Hador Lórindol|Hador]] in honour of him.

== History ==

== History ==

Revision as of 15:19, 18 June 2010

The House of Hador was the name of the third House of the Edain to cross the Ered Luin into Beleriand during the First Age. They were originally known as the House of Marach but were renamed during the reign of their later ruler Hador in honour of him.

Contents

History

In 313 F.A the people of Marach crossed the Ered Luin and entered Beleriand. They were the largest of the Houses and also the most warlike and they frightened the native Greenelves who inhabited the forested slopes of the mountains and so were bidden to progress to Estolad as the House of Bëor had done. Of all the Houses of the Edain the Hadorians remained longest in Estolad (perhaps due to the immense size of the House) but became close allies with the Ñoldorin House of Fingolfin who reigned in Hithlum. Under the rule of Magor, grandson of Marach the House of Hador removed to the southern slopes of the Ered Wethrin. It was during the reign of Hador in 423 F.A though that the House of Marach were finally granted permanent lands in the form of the fief of Dor-lómin within Hithlum. In recognition of the first lord of their new realm the House became known as the House of Hador. As a gift from his new lords, Hador was given the Dragon Helm by Fingon, which became a great heirloom of the House, borne by all its lords save Húrin.

Hador reigned for 32 years in Dor-lómin, dying during the Dagor Bragollach at the age of 61 alongside his younger son Gundor. So Lordship of the House passed to Hador's older son Galdor leading the House of Hador in the troubled times that followed the Dagor Bragollach. His sons Húrin and Huor were sent away to Brethil and only returned several years later having spent time with Turgon in Gondolin. Galdor was slain at Eithel Sirion in 462 F.A, thus Húrin became the third Lord of Dor-lómin.

During Húrin's tenure as lord, Hithlum was largely made safe, owing largely to the great reclamation of lost lands by the Union of Maedhros of which the men and elves of Hithlum were participants. This gathered steam until the plans were made for another assault on Morgoth in Angband- the battle that would become known as Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Húrin mustered all the men that Dor-lómin could provide to supplement Fingon's host in the west. Of the battle itself more can be read elsewhere but the result was devastating for the House of Hador with Húrin captured, his brother Huor slain and their entire host killed to a man in a final last stand to guard the retreat of Turgon. Not only that but Fingon and a huge number of the Ñoldor who he ruled had also been slain. Hithlum, defenceless and beaten was thus taken by the treacherous Easterlings who had been so instrumental in Morgoth's victory without any notable resistance of what remained of the people of the House of Hador.

Later History

From this point the lives of the people of Hador became one of marginal slavery. The House of Hador fared badly under the Easterlings; brutally suppressed, their lands were taken and their women forced into marriage with the new despot-lords of Hithlum. The nobility of the House went into hiding. Húrin's son and heir (and officially now Lord of the House) Túrin was too young to lead and so was sent away to Doriath for his safety by his mother and Huor's son Tuor was only born the year of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and so was similarly guarded; fostered by the grey elves that still inhabited the mountains of Mithrim. Those that could escape in the years that followed did-so fleeing to those havens of the elves that still stood but the House of Hador ceased to be as a coherent entity in much the same manner as the House of Bëor had suffered in the aftermath of the Dagor Bragollach.

None the less, when the surviving Edain were granted the gift-land of Númenor the House of Hador was still the greatest in size of all the Houses and so made up the greater portion of those who removed there.

Physical Characteristics

The people of the House of Hador tended to be blonde with blue eyes and of great height. They were marked as being the tallest inhabitants of Beleriand save Thingol, King of Doriath.